Siphon-priming device.



G. F. LAUGHLIN.

'SIPHON PRIMING DEVIGE.

APPLICATION FILLED 33.24, 1913.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915'.

I; SHEETS-SHEET 2.

G. F. LAUGHLIN.

SIPHON PRIMING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED M324, 1912.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE F. LAUGHLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO GEORGE IB. ROBBINS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

sIPHoN-rnmnve nnvrcn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 9, 1915.

Application filed February 24, 1913. Serial N 0. 750,106.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gnonon F. Lunar-mm, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Siphon-Priming Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to siphons and has for its object the inclusion with a siphon device of a self-priming feature.

The invention, although not limited in its application, is particularly valuable and is herein illustrated as a basis for detailed description in connection with the brine tanks of refrigerator cars. It is necessary that these tanks be relieved from time to time of the gradual increment of their liquid contents due to the melting ice, and as the equipment of the road bed, the rails and the like would be injuriously affected by allowing the brine to fall thereon from overflow of waste pipes it is found desirable to partially or completely empty the tanks at intervals when the cars reach points set apart for that purpose.

To avoid delay it is important that means he provided for speedily emptying the tanks and my invention has for its object the provision of simple, efficient, and easily operated means to this end.

Cars requiring refrigeration are equipped with tanks or receptacles at each end of the car, each tank holding approximately '650 pounds of ice, which is put in at regular intervals before loading and during transit or the load by the railroad companies at various icing stations. The cars are iced with crushed ice, mixed with a certain percentage of salt, and it is desirable to retain the brine created by the melting ice in the tanks, and release it only at the icing stations, not. allowing any of it to drop along the right of way between icing stations on account of it causing the tracks and bridges to rust out and deteriorate.

The construction of the cars is such that the ice tanks must be easily accessible from the roof of the car, and at the same time so constructed as to'prevent the ingress of hot is poured into the tank and at the same time be so constructed as to not obstruct or interfere with the ice going into the tank. This valve should be so simple in its construction as to be easily operated by the men doing the icing and so definite and positive in its operation that they could not fail to operate it properly, which in this device is accomplished by merely pulling straight up and shoving it down to its original position.

When cars are iced the ice is tamped down with a heavy piece of timber, suitable for the purpose, in the hands ofthe icer, who shoves it down into the tank, and stirs the ice up and around to cause it all to settle, to make sure that the car is full, and when'cars are reiced this tamping is done to the ice re maining in the tanks before any new ice is put in, and again after the tanks have been filled up. On account of this tamping. to avoid injury to the valve, it is necessary that it be located on the outside of the tank, and owing to the fact that there is an accumulation of dirt which gets into the tank, and in turn finds its way into the valve, it is necessary that the valve be located where it is easily accessible from the inside of the car when the car is empty and so constructed that it can easily be taken apart and cleaned of any dirt that is in it.

When the cars are set for icing or reicing, the icer first goesalong the roofs of the cars and releases the brine in the tanks. This is accomplished by working the lever in the hopper of the car which operates the siphon device and starts the flow of the brine. A novel feature of the device is that after it is started it is continuous and positive in its flow. and does not stop until all of the brine in' the tanks above the siphon connection flows out, and this without further attention on the part of the icer; and after the brine has flowed out down to a predetermined level further flow is stopped automatically and positively, and so remains until again started b the siphon device. or until. the brine in the tank reaches a height equaling the top of the siphon pipe. This enables the icer to start the brine and then leave it. as no further attention is necessary on his part and he can proceed to the next car. Another novel feature of this device is that if. for any reason the icer fails to drain the tank by operating the device before putting the ice in,

then if the ice put in is sufiicient to raise the ence is hereinafter made for clarification of the description, I have illustrated preferred and modified embodiments of the invention. which is, however, capable of further modification within a wide range without sacrificing its material advantages or the essen tial features.

In'the drawings: Figure 1 is a partial vertical transverse section through a car showing the brine tanks and siphon devices in elevation; Fig. Qis a fragmentary vertical section through the lower portion of one form of the siphon; Fig. 3 is a vertical section through another form of the siphon device taken on the line 33 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 .is a horizontal. transverse section on the line 4.4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a vertical section through that form of the device shown in Figs. 3 and 4 in connection with a collecting tank and trap; and Fig. 6 is a sectional detail showing a further modification of the siphon priming device.

Inthat form of construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the reference numeral 11 designates in general the car structure in the end of which are Located a plurality of brine tanks indicated at 12. Between each pair of adjac nt tanks is located a cylinder 13 communicating with the tanks by open ports 14, 14 arranged intermediate the two ends of the cylinder and at a short distance from the upper end. Each of the siphons 15 comprises the usual inverted U-shaped tube. the longer leg 16 of which is shown as projecting downwardly through the car floor and opening to the exterior. while the shorter leg 17 is provided with a valve memher in the form of a terminal annular disk 1'8 fixed upon the open end of the tube. The tube 17 is mounted axially of the cylinder 13 in a stutling box 19, the disk 18 hearing the-relation to the cylinder of a piston and the tube 17 of a piston rod. The size of the disk 18 is such that an annular interspace 20 is provided between the peripheral edge of the disk and the wall of the cylinder. At the bend 21 of the U is aflixed an operating rod 22 hearing a handle 23 by means of which the siphon tube can be vertically reciprocated, the said handle being accessible from the top of the car.

The operation of the device is as follows: Normally the liquid occupying the brine tanks above the level of the ports 14 flows into and occupies the cylinder 13. WVhen it is desired to empty the tanks the operator grasps the handle 23 and lifts the siphon tubev to the; upper portion of the cylinder 13 and advantageously to a position above the ports 14:. He then quickly pushes the tube downward and the liquid within the cylinder, by reason of the comparatively restricted capacity of the annular space 20, is forced upward through the tube 17 past the bend '21 and into the descending tube 16. By the time the disk 18 reaches the bottom of the cylinder 13' a flow is established through the siphon tube as will be readily understood and this flow continues through the ports 14, the annular space 20, the legs 17 and 16. until the level. of liquid in the tanks falls below the ports 14, whereupon it will cease. As the quantity of liquid in the tanks again increases. the siphon action, having been interrupted, will not be resumed until the siphon is again operated by means of the handle 23 in the manner previously described.

In Figs. 3 and i I have shown another form of construction in which the principle involved is substantially the same. Herein the brine tanks 31. 31 are connected by means of the pipes 82. 32 the upper end of the cylinder 83. into which they discharge laterally. This cylinder is provided in its upper end with a stufling box 34 within which is mounted for reciprocation a shorter leg 35 of the siphon 36, the longer leg 37 of'which extends below the floor of the car to a suitable discharge. Upon the lower end of the tube portion 35 is screwed a valve member comprising an annular disk-like member 38 provided with a series of aperi tures 39 which afford a passage between the end of the tube and wall of the cylinder from the ports at the inner ends of the pipes 32 to the bent end of the tube 35. The disk extends downwardly below its apertured body portion and is inwardly flanged at 40 to serve as a retaining seat for the annular disk 11, the central aperture 42 of which is in line axially with the bore of the siphon tube. The lower end of the cylinder is closed by a removable screw cap 43 by which access is afforded to the interior of the cylinder for cleaning purposes or for repairs to the valve. In this form of construction the siphon is set in operation by grasping the same and forcing it downward. The force of the water within the cylinder below the valve will by its upward pressure upon the annulus 42 force the latter upward against the apertured disk 38 so as to close the passages The body of water trapped within the cylinder will thus be forced to find an outlet upwardly through the siphon driving the air from the shorter leg of the same and setting it in operation. As soon as the downward movement of the siphon ceases the annulus 42 will drop again to the position shown and the liquid within the tanks 31 will find its way through the pipes 32 into the upper end of the cylinder-and thence through the apertures 39 to the open lower end of the siphon tube, whence it will rise through the siphon and be discharged through the longer leg 37.

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated that form of the device described with reference to Figs. 3 and 4 employed in connection with a collecting tank provided with a trap discharge whereby entrance of the outside air to the car interior about the siphon tube is avoided. According to this arrangement a collecting tank 44 is arranged at a point below the brine tanks 31 and into the upper portion of this collecting tank the longer leg 37 of the siphon discharges. Where, as is usual, there are a plurality of brine tanks arranged side by side in the end of the car the collecting tank 44 will extend across the car beneath the several tanks and receive the fluid discharged from the several siphons. The col-' lecting tank is provided with a trap dis charge 45 whereby the outlet from the tank is protected by a water seal and the entrance of air from below the car prevented. As will be readily understood, when the siphons are primed in the manner heretofore described they will discharge into the collecting tank 44 until the brine is exhausted from the brine tanks the liquid flowing from the collecting tank 44 through the trap 45 and the discharge pipe 46 to the exterior.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification of a priming device operating under the same principle as those previously described but differing slightly in construction. Herein the cylinder 51 adapted to be disposed as in the former cases between adjacent brine tanks and connected therewith by pipes leading from ports 52, communicates in its lower portion at 53 with the shorter leg 54 of the siphon. In this form of construction the siphon tube it not itself movable but is rigidly mounted and the priming of the siphon is efiected by means of a plunger rod 55 carrying an operating handle 56 and mounted for reciprocation within the stuffing box 57. Upon the lower end of the plunger rod 55 the valve member 58 is mounted as a piston within the cylinder 51. The valve 58 is provided with through passages 59 and also with the central opening 60, an annular disk 61 being seated within the Valve and controlling the passages 59. The essential difference between this form of siphon priming device and those previously described is that the valve member is mounted upon a separate plunger rod instead of being carried by the shorter leg of the siphon which in the other forms of constructi'on serves the double function of the siphon inlet and the plunger rod. In this instance the siphon is primed by forcing the plunger 55 downwardly, the annular disk 61 under the action of the liquid within the cylinder 51 rising and closing the passages 59, and

the further downward movement of the valve-piston forcing the liquid in the cylinder upward through the leg 54 of the siphon. As soon as the piston comes to rest the annular disk 61 drops to the position illustrated and the liquid contents of the brine tanks flows through the ports 52, the passages 59, the annular disk 61 and the opening by way of the cylinder 51 to maintain an uninterrupted flow through the siphon until the brine tanks are emptied.

I claim:

1. The combination with a brine tank of a refrigerator car, of a siphon device exterior thereto, and means to force a portion of the brine from the tank into the siphon to establish a flow therethrough, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a brine tank of a refrigerator car, of a cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank, a siphon having its shorter leg in communication with the cylinder, and means to prime the siphon from the contents of the cylinder whereby to establish a flow from the tanks through the siphon, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a tank to be emptied, and a cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank, of a siphon having its shorter leg communicating with the cylinder, a valve device mounted as a piston for reciprocation within the cylinder.- the valve arranged to permit the flow of liquid past the same from the tank to the end of the siphon tube, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a tank to be emptied, and a cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank, of a siphon having its shorter leg communicating with the cylinder, a valve device carried by the siphon leg and mounted for reciprocation within the cylinder. the valve arranged to permit the flow of the liquid past the same from the tank to the end of the siphon tube and to prevent a return How, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

The combination with a' tank to be emptied. and a cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank of a siphon tube having a valve member on one of its legs and mounted as a piston within the cylinder,

the valve arranged to permit a flowof the liquid past the same from the tank to the end of the tube, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a tank to be emptied, and a cylinder outside of but in com- .munication with the tank by a port, of a si phon tube having a terminal valve member on its shorter leg and mounted as a piston within the cylinder, the valve constructed to provide a passage between the tube and the wall of the cylinder, whereby to permit a flow of the liquid past the same from the port to the end of the tube, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine. in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

7. The combination with a plurality of tanks to be emptied, and a cylinder disposed between and in communication with the tanks by 'ports near its upper end, of a siphon tube having a terminal valve member on its shorter leg and mounted as a piston within the cylinder, the valve constructed to provide a passage between the tube and the wall of the cylinder to permit a fiow of the liquid past the same from the ports to the open end of the tube, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

8. The combination with a brine tank of a refrigerator car, a vertically disposed cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank by a lateral port, of a siphon tube having a terminal valve member on its shorter leg and mounted as a piston within the cylinder, the longer leg of the siphon extending to a point exterior to the tank and below the cylinder, and means to bodily raise and lower the siphon device, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

9. The combination with the brine tanks of a refrigerator car, and a cylinder vertically disposed between and in communication with the adjacent tanks by ports intermediate its two ends, of a siphon tube having a terminal valve member on its shorter leg and mounted as a piston within the cylinder, the valve member providing passages between the tube and the wall of the cylinder to permit a flow of the liquid past the same from the ports to the end of the tube, a disk operating upwardly to close the passages while leaving the end otthe tube open, the longer leg of the siphon extending-to a point exterior to the tank and below the cylinder, and means to bodily raise and lower the siphon tube, the'upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a tank to be emptied, and a cylinder in communication therewith by a port near its upper end, of a siphon tube having its shorter leg mounted for reciprocation in the upper end of the cylinder, an upwardly closing check valve mounted within the cylinder on the end of said tube as a piston, said valve arranged when open to permit the passage of fluid from the port to the open end of the tube and when the tube is actuated downwardly to close communication with the port while leaving the tube in open communication with the liquid in the lower portion of the cylinder, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

11. The combination with the brine tank of a refrigerator car, a collecting tank ar ranged at a lower level, a siphon device having its shorter leg communicating with the brine tank and its longer leg with the collecting tank, means to prime thesiphon from the contents of the brine tank, and a trap discharge from the collecting tank, the up per bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

- 12. The combination with a tank to be emptied, a cylinder outside of but in communication with the tank, and a collecting tank arranged at a lower level and provided with a trap-discharge, of a siphon having its shorter leg communicating with the cylinder and its longer leg with the collecting tank, a valve device mounted as a piston for reciprocation within the cylinder, the valve arranged to permit a flow of the liquid past the same from the tank to the siphon tube and to prevent a return flow, the upper bend of the siphon being normally above the normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

13. In combination with a tank to be emptied, a cylinder outside of but in communication therewith by a port near its upper end, and a collecting tank arranged at a lower level and provided with a trap discharge, of a siphon tube having its shorter leg mounted for reciprocation in the upper end of the cylinder and its longer leg in com munication with the collecting tank, an upbend of the siphon being normally above the 10 normal level of the brine in the tank and below the level at which the brine will overflow from said tank, substantially as described.

GEORGE F. LAUGHLIN.

Witnesses:

GEORGE F. SANDSTROM, MILES E. BUNDY. 

